Boeing announced:

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted Boeing the amended type certificate (ATC) for the 737-7, clearing the way for commercial service.

Boeing worked under the oversight of the FAA through a multi‑year certification effort that included extensive flight and ground testing, human factors reviews and system safety assessments.

Why it matters: This important certification validates the rigor of the airplane’s design and clears the way for Boeing to provide the 737 MAX family to a new segment of the market.

The 737-7, the longest-range member of the 737 MAX family, offers a range of up to 3,800 nautical miles (7,040 km) and is particularly designed for airline customers flying out of airports at high altitudes and hot climates.

The 737 MAX family order book stands at more than 7,200 airplanes, of which 2,360 have been delivered through the end of June 2026.

What’s next: Teammates have started refurbishment work on the previously built 737-7 airplanes.

More about the MAX family:

The 737-7 seats 135-160 passengers in a two-class configuration and offers a range of up to 3,800 nautical miles (for the course of an eight-hour flight). The airplane reduces fuel use and carbon dioxide emissions by about 20% and lowers the noise footprint by about 50% compared with the airplanes it typically replaces.

Other members of the 737 MAX family, beyond the 737-7, offer unique capabilities to customers around the world including:

• The 737-8 seats 160-180 passengers and offers a range of up to 3,500 nautical miles. It can profitably fly in almost any short and medium-haul market.
• The 737-9 has three more seating rows compared to the 737-8 and seats 175-195 passengers with a range of up to 3,300 nautical miles.
• The largest airplane in the family, the 737-10 offers greater fuel efficiency and the best per-seat economics of any single-aisle airplane. It seats 185-210 passengers with a range of up to 3,100 nautical miles. Boeing is working toward certification of the 737-10 later this year.

The Boeing 737-7 (MAX 7) order book is anchored by a few key airline customers worldwide:

• Southwest Airlines: 302 aircraft on order. Southwest is the launch customer and largest buyer for the MAX 7, planning to use the type to replace its aging Boeing 737-700 fleet.
• Allegiant Air: 30 aircraft on order (part of a broader multi-variant MAX agreement with Boeing that includes options for additional airframes).
• SKY Airline: 10 aircraft on order.
• Luxair: 4 aircraft on order (including firm orders and commitments as part of its fleet modernization strategy).

All photos by Boeing.

More airline news:

• Controller discovers 2 AA flights with the same flight number: Two American Airlines Boeing 737-800 aircraft operating under identical flight numbers and call signs converged in the airspace …
• Nepal Airlines Corporation continues to experience financial strain despite top-line revenue growth, as heavy debt servicing obligations and escalating operational expenses keep the national …
• Frontier Airlines is expanding its international footprint with the launch of new seasonal nonstop service between Los Angeles International Airport and La Aurora International Airport in Gu …
• Philippine Airlines delivered revenue growth of 5.9 percent to $1.746 billion in the first half of 2026, up from $1.648 billion in the first half of 2025, driven by higher passenger yields, …
• Turning to the East: Iranian carrier Mahan Air is preparing a notable expansion of its long-haul East Asian route network with the introduction of new scheduled passenger services connecting …